That One time When Paul wasn't a rude angsty little kid
by HeyHeyDoIKnowYou
Summary: In which for the first time ever in the history of Ikarishipping Paul isn't an angsty rude little kid. Instead he's a semi-angsty only purposefully rude college student that has to work at a coffee shop to pay for student loans, somehow got stuck a blonde room-mate determined to give him hell, and met her. Ikarishipping and Barry as a cute-ass roomate, also Boastshipping apparently
1. Chp 1: In which Paul makes a friend

CHAPTER 1: In which he actually made a friend (and no romantic plot whatsoever was produced)

*Skip to the bottom for notes

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Paul doesn't like coffee.

He doesn't like fall too. (But then again he doesn't really like spring, summer or winter either) And when suddenly all the leaves are falling from the sky and cheap plastic Pumpkaboo and Gorgeist decorations are "in the rage". Or when his sister calls him during work to remind him that, hey guess what, they're in college (even if he's in a battle school in Kalos and she's all the way in Johto). "And guess what I just met a person called Gold. Can you believe it? Like Crystal and Silver that's a bit of a stretch, but whatever, sure. But Gold. Like his parents named him that, can you believe this shit? Okay so maybe that isn't actually his name, I mean everybody calls them Jimmy and Marina but still, that's what they were called. As babies. And little children." And Paul winces a little because that's his baby sister cursing about some stupid boy named Gold. Even if it is kind of dumb.

Cher got into every school she applied to. No one was surprised. And when she purposefully announced that she would go to the crappiest school in the whole entire universe everybody was still not surprised.

(She didn't actually want to go there. She just wanted to piss off dad.)

(It worked.)

(Paul managed to convince her not to.)

Her voice is rough and scratchy, sandpaper against his head and bitten nails scraping his ear. Wether it's the static of long distance calls or if he just doesn't remember his sister's voice, Paul doesn't know. Or, he wonders, she could be hungover.

(She better not be hungover.)

"Hey, ever heard of student loans? I heard they're a pain in the ass. You should try it sometimes." There's a jumble of noise on the other side of the line. ("Oh crap, sorry. Sorry"…"Well it's your fault for- !"…)

And then Paul hears the footsteps of a certain 5 foot 2 girl running away from what seems to be an easily angered person.

"For you're information, I did in fact spill some tea all over someone. Oolong. The tea that is, not the person. He's Silver. And he's not easily angered, just really easily really scary. But it's like the 'I'm actually a softie and full of mush' crap thing. Kind of like you. Cuz' you're full of marshmallows and sunshine and stuff."

"Shut up." Paul grumbles. Because his sister can read his mind and it's too early and his face is refusing to co-operate with him. So if he smiled or did something stupid like that, well it was just the morning's fault.

"You just told me to shut up didn't you. Oh well, I think I might've missed it, must've been my imagination. So Silver, he's such a softie, but only around Lyra."

(Paul wonders if he's ever soft around anyone, or if being soft is possible because what does it even mean to be a "soft" person?)

"Who, by the way, is the only other person who has a relatively normal name, I swear. But she turns Silver to pudding, it's hilarious. Plus she's totally oblivious to the whole thing. I mean he blushed so hard once you couldn't distinguish face from hair. Which is red by the way, if you didn't understand. And I mean it's so goddamn red I swear he almost gets as many weird looks as us. Anyways, forget about me and my amazing life, I just hope you did something financially correct for once."

"I screwed up one year."

"And I'll never let you live it down."

"It was _one_ bill."

"Yeah, and it took Leaf almost a month to get you your electricity back."

Leaf could've graduated early from her school, but she got in on a scholarship so as her boyfriend Gary so eloquently put it "Whatever. Screw society. Screw the rules." Nonetheless Leaf's getting her diploma in half a dozen months regardless, and apparently she's bored. So bored she called Paul of all people to rant about electronics and programming and restrictions for about half an hour or so last night.

(Paul didn't really mind actually)

"Anyways, why in the world would she do that for you? As far as I know you guys only stare at each other and grunt in mutual genius every once in a while."

It's not true though. Paul isn't a genius.

"We're united in our combined hate for you."

"Oh hardeeharhar, hilarious Paul. Forget becoming a professional Pokémon battler, they should hire you over at the comedy channel. But seriously, how did you get her to do that? My computers a mess, and I hear she can hack some extra storage into here. Do you think she accepts cookie bribes?"

"Forget about it. Leaf hates you."

Which isn't true, but what Paul will never, ever, ever tell Cher is that that one Christmas, the one at Ash's and before Leaf and Gary started dating he might've, only might've, walked in on them in an extremely _compromising_ situation. And as in compromising, he meant (kissing, tongue, definitely tongue, really lots of kissing, mouth on mouth, okay never going to forget that, oh they see me, okay nope no not gonna deal with this). So like any other normal person, he stepped out of the frame, calmly shut the door, and silently demanded a favor for being quite possible scarred for life.

(It was kind of funny seeing Leaf's face the next day and hear her mutter "I owe you," to him)

But still, even if Leaf being red in the face was a rather new and interesting development, he would never tell his younger sibling. Even if some occasional offhand comment made her confused and Leaf's whole entire face even brighter and then Cher even more confused. So instead he just shifts his weight to his left foot and re-arranges the strap of the messenger bag pulling down his broad shoulders.

"For your information Leaf finds me to be an amazing, animated and wonderful person, unlike you mister I have no soul. And _anyways_ back to the main point. Have you, for the first time in your sad little life, taken correct financial-"

"Are you ever going to stop about this?"

"As I was saying before you so rudely interrupted me. Will you take correct financial precautions and realize that one: Learning how to pay bills correctly is a very essential piece of knowledge. And two: Your little sister is the best-est person in the whole wide world to have gotten you this job."

It's a horrible job. Being a barista is much too over-romanticized and besides, he's not even that. He just started a couple weeks ago and he's the "Baby-boo" as his co-workers so eloquently put it. So he spends his mornings scribbling names on cups, his hands cramp up and he learns that he's never hated the smell of sharpie so much until now. The machines are too loud, and even if he isn't the ones operating them they still give him headaches. Plus it's fall and that makes it even worse, because every single day they arrive. They, as in them, as in it's those people. And also the wave upon wave upon wave of college girls (and boys, you'd be surprised) demanding the next sugar-high not-really-actually-coffee-coffee frappuchino-ventisomething ice-choco-latte.

(It's also too early but that means that he can call Cher or Cher can call him and the long-distance timing works.)

"I hate you."

"Luv ya too. Anyways toodles, I have to go get Lyra before Silver murders me."

"…"

"What? Are you really that worried about me dying because of spilled tea? Please Paul, when did your opinion of me get so low? When I die there will be Arceus there himself to say the sermon."

Paul doesn't respond and Cher lets out a breathy pent up raspy sigh that he can feel blow through the receiver of his phone.

"I promise not to do drugs."

*click*

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It's not until the blonde barista accidentally drops a nickel into one of the coffee machines that Paul's headache really kicks in.

One of Paul's coworkers already has the mechanic on speed-dial and the manager just shakes his head and assigns the culprit (who seems to be a college student too) to the cashier when the tiny oval of metal somehow manages to cause the machine to turn into a squealing clanging mess of metal. Most of the customers move outside or just shake their head and hurry out of the store once they get their order. Paul's monotone "have a good day," trailing behind them, forgotten.

So now he's here. His blonde head bobbing next to Paul's like some buoy in the water and he's smiling so hard for no good reason.

"You just broke a coffee maker."

"Yup."

"With a _nickel_."

"Actually I think it might've been a penny."

"You might lose your job."

"Yup."

"Are you retarded."

"Yup."

Paul downs two Tylenol pills.

.

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What ticks him off is the smile.

The curve of it is mirroring the swoosh of his hair and pushing up his pinched cheeks and Paul wants to tell him:

"You look like a toddler."

It's a stupid smile, and he feels like he remembers it from somewhere. Not an identical copy, just something absolutely idiotically happy about it that kind of made him stop and stare for one second too long. But it's confusing because now he's also remembering this boy's smile at the same time, but there's something more _important_ than that. More vital than this blonde's smile that's hiding somewhere in there and what is it?

"Hey. Hey. Hey. Are you okay?"

(He's been looking too long)

"Shut up."

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Paul writes the next name on the next cup and hands it to the man behind him with a command of "Black, decaf." Barry is ringing up the woman, his smile still beaming contagiously over everyone, and he drops the change into the lady's hand with just a slight twitch of impatience in his hand.

There's a lull in the customers and Paul drops down to his haunches, squatting and resting his head against the cool surface of the bar's cabinets. He sighs and fishes his phone out of his pocket.

Only fifteen or so more minutes.

"What is it?" He snaps.

It's not like he hasn't felt the gaze of two orange eyes following his back ever since the idiot just had to drop a ("nickel, I'm pretty sure it's a nickel now. I thought it was a penny but now I'm not that sure") into a coffee making machine and now he's stuck with him at the same shop, same counter, same cashier.

The owlish stare just rotates slightly and blurts out "You're going to the Battle School right? I mean I'm kind of just guessing, but I think I've seen you before. I think, I mean I haven't seen you at the school for freshman year at all but I recognize you. Yeah, I've seen you before. And not just from work, like I remember you from somewhere. And I mean maybe you just don't go out that much but what I'm saying is that I'm taking courses there too. Battle courses. And I just thought wow, that's some big coincidence. And yeah."

Well, that was something. Paul rocks bank on his ankles and pulls himself up from his crouching position.

"My name is Paul. Paul Shinji. I spent my freshman year studying abroad-"

"Where?" He cuts in and Paul wants to snap again, but what the hell, so he deepens his glare and cracks a couple fingers in his left hand but continues:

"Orange Islands. So yes, I am going to the Battle School here. And no, I don't recognize you."

(He's not lying. He doesn't recognize the boy.)

(Maybe the smile though.)

His reflected grin flips and now it's opposing his hair like a fat and thin hyperbole.

"Oh, that's too bad, it was because your name is Paul. I read your name tag a while ago and you just introduced yourself too. But I swear I heard your name before, well that doesn't mean much. But he was talking about a really strong trainer and Ash is alrea-"

Paul cracks to attention, he's already snapping towards Barry (whose name tag he also read) with this look of utter shock slapped into his face.

"Stop."

Barry stumbles a bit over his own feet.

(What. Why How Where When did you. Did you actually? Am I lying or imagining? Are you kidding me this isn't true Cher it's your fault if it's true. How did this. Is this just a coincidence? I know your smile. But not really your smile it's someone else's but sort of yours too. Separately. Nononononono, please don't.)

"What did you just say?"

Of course a customer walk in right then, and Paul's not stupid. So he turns to the businessman with a polite "good-morning," and "my name's Paul and I'll be taking your order today." He scribbles the name passes the cup and is surprised to see Barry professionally ringing up the tab.

The second the man leaves the two employees circle of sound Barry exclaims:

"I swear I heard your name before, well that doesn't mean much. But he was talking about a really strong trainer and Ash is alrea- And that's where you cut me off."

"The last part."

"But he was-"

"No later, very end, the name that you said."

"Ash? What about him?"

"Who is he."

"What kind of weird question is that?"

"Just answer the question already."

"Okaay. Okaay. Arceus you're scary. Well he has dark hair and he wears this hat a lot. He's a trainer just like us and he's really good, has this crazy strong little Pikachu. Plus he's dating the Cerulean gym leader, Misty, red-head. They're both graduating from college soon though. Oh yeah and he's from Kanto, Pallet town you know. Too bad because I can never make it to his Christmas parties, if he was closer maybe, but my Dad and I always celebrate it together in Sinnoh. But actually, what kind of question is that. I promised myself I wouldn't but I just might need to fine you for that it was so strange. Anyways, do you know him or something?"

Barry jumps while he talks, arm windmilling around him like he's some flightless bird or something.

So Paul groans because the headache is back and he's pretty sure that it's never going to leave.

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A/N Ahh! Notes, notes, notes.

So the first chapter is done and Dawn hasn't even been mentioned! (Meaning every single Ikarishipper has already left the building whilst throwing insults at me behind them and the much smaller minority of ColdCoffeeShippers cheer ridiculously loudly) Sorry ColdCoffeeShippers, Ikarishipping will come next chapter in full force! (A promise that will not be fulfilled! Because writing this stuff is some hardcore shit!)

And in case anyone was wondering Cher (short for Cherie) is Paul's younger sister (French name by the way). You pronounce it like "Share", as in sharing is caring and "Shaerie" like faerie but with a "Shh" at the beginning.

Also this isn't an alternate universe or anything, there's still Pokémon and stuff. Only people get an actual education and go to college and school because no you cannot backpack your whole entire life (so wait. _Is_ that considered an alternate universe or not?).

So um. uh. Thanks?

Favs and Follows very much appreciated! I try to check out other people's profiles and show support as much as I can, so um yeah.

-HeyHeyDoIKnowYou


	2. Chp 2: In which he meets a girl in pink

Chapter 2: In which he meets a pink girl and some romantic plot is developed (just kidding i'm a failure)

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Paul isn't really sure when it happens but suddenly he's got a new "_best-friend_" as Barry puts it and he doesn't really miss the solitude of his old single dorm.

It's kind of weird having a friend. He's had rivals and enemies and family and even a couple lovers (Regardless of the fact that Cher likes to make fun of him and calls him a prude on a daily basis). Sure he's been forced to go to Ash's Christmas parties a couple times alongside his little sister, but Ash isn't his friend. He is an enigma, a mystery of a boy that pats him on the back and wishes him good luck. Barry is stupid and simple, an open book an easy laugh, and that's why he's Paul's friend.

(It's still kind of unusual)

He's stuck on the cashier and Barry's finally been moved back to the machines. It's a slow day and Paul didn't get to call Cher today because of some "business" apparently on her end, so annoyance and boredom is creeping up him like a disease. But he's in college and completely normal so he just yells at Barry a little bit and ignores it and nothing amazing or special happens.

Paul's studying at his desk in their dorm room that night when Barry, who's an idiot, challenges him to Truth or Dare.

"I'll fine you if you don't say yes."

Paul's never had a friend before so he agrees, and Barry who's polite let's him go first.

Truth.

What's your favorite color?

That's _stupid_.

Shut up.

Orange duh, Green's next.

What are you a pumpkin?

_No_! Well whatever, your turn. Truth or Dare.

Dare.

I dare you to pick Truth.

You can't do that, I would have already did a dare and then my turn would be over.

I dare you to pick Truth next time.

Fine. Stupid though you wasted a turn. Truth or Dare?

Truth.

Again?

Yeah, Dare's are stupid.

Okay. Do you, or do you not want to ask Ursula out.

...

You're blushing.

No I am not!

Well do you?

(Barry mumbles his answer into a pillow and it's completely incomprehensible but like Paul said, Barry is an open book so it doesn't matter)

Okay. Truth or Dare.

Truth, only because you're making me.

(And because Paul's never had a friend the next question is a surprise)

Do you ever feel lonely?

_No_.

(And because Paul's first friend is stupid he believes him)

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It's all wrong.

It's also all stupid.

But mostly it's not fall anymore which has Paul singing praises on the inside. However winter's here and now he remembers that he doesn't really like any season, with good reason of course.

(It's too cold. But if he says that his sister would hug him from across the world and say his insides are hot chocolate and his heart is a marshmallow)

"I need the frappe, the machiatto and the two lattes." He tells Barry while his fingers twitch out a Leila and Maisy onto the two latter cups. The orange-eyed freak just hums and starts brewing the coffee at a speed that only an equally caffeinated person could.

Last night he got to talk to Cher.

("So you and your lonesome finally got some real human companionship, huh, that's funny. Next thing you'll know you'll have a _girlfriend_ or something."

"Shut up."

"As talkative as always my dear brother, but really you'll be married the next time I see you."

"Cher, stop it."

"You'll even have a _baby_."

"No."

"I want to be his godmother. And name him, uh. Well I actually have no idea, what should we name him?"

"How do you even know it's going to be a boy?"

"I can feel it Paul." Her voice morphed into some weird combination of a mountain dwellers accent and gargled rocks. "I can feel it in meh bones."

"No. Please don't."

"I'm not joking though. Really, there's _love_ in your future."

Paul was quiet because he's been called freakishly perceptive before and suddenly he remembered that day where Cher couldn't call him because of "business" and how happy and stupid (and maybe just in love) she sounds so he asked:

"Got to go Cher, your fault though. You're the one who got me a job that makes me wake up at an ungodly hour in the first place.")

(It's because he's a coward)

Pretty soon Barry's handing Paul the orders because even if Paul gives him a lot of crap of having the coordination of a child, Barry is strangely adept at maneuvering his way around the coffee beans and milk pitchers. He turns and passes the cups to their customers while rattling of the orders.

One of the girls giggle and waves at him.

(It's annoying)

Suddenly there's a crash. Not really actually, it's the smack of a person shoving the door open so hard that the bells ring like there's no tomorrow and the plastic handle smashes against the uncrackable windows and Barry's hair actually moves a little bit in the resulting gust of cold air.

She looks like a Slurpuff.

Her clothes look pretty high quality he supposes and her tall pink boots jingle silver zippers. But as she pulls down a thick knit white scarf her nose is red and pink and scrappy, and her lips are pale and chapped. She's like some moving machine, striding towards the counter and shedding layers of now unwanted coats and wool simultaneously. Her jacket isn't that long, pulling in tight under her chest and flaring out to only parallel of her knuckles. White socks catch at the tops of her knees, and Paul can't help but think that she's one of them. The people who wear clothes too short and too flimsy because they want to look good even in the middle of winter, but the girl is puffing slightly and she doesn't look cold in the slightest, in fact she looks really really _warm_. The warm where they pull you close and heat you up and Paul wonders if thats why his skin feels like it's on fire so who knows. And of came the scarf, which along with the tipped white cap is thrown inside her bag. Soon she's standing right up in front of Paul, but her eyes are glued to the electronic on her left wrist while her slender pale fingers unbutton the big pink hooks from her red coat and loosen her collar.

"Black. 2 shots." Paul barely hears her words as her thin mouth prints out the words, crisp and clean, because even Barry (whose an idiot) notices and he stares at the most easily rememberable feature, despite the new color.

Two strawberry pink clips on navy gloss.

"No." Paul cuts back and "Dawn!" Barry shouts.

She jerks up her head, eyebrows pulling in confused until she sees purple and yellow. Suddenly her cheeks flush red and she stumbles back because, _oh_, their faces really are actually very very close. Her jaw falls open and it looks like she's about to say something, but it snaps up like a fish and she breathes out a soft

"It's _you_."

And Paul finds that he was about to say something too, but instead he (sees her snub nose and thin eyebrows that reminds him of adventures and being young again, just travelling around Sinnoh, juvenile and stupid and) growls (laughs laughs laughs) back a

"_Troublesome_"

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She's a sophomore too, and it's actually kind of a surprise that they all haven't crashed into each other sooner.

Paul and Barry's shift ends in only about half an hour, so Dawn laughs and waits at the counter with the steaming bitter drink clutched between her gloves. She chats easily with Barry, passing the cup to her right hand to lift her left arm and make sweeping gestures with her twisting wrist to mark some point in their discussion or another.

It's only a couple more customers and soon he finds himself sitting on the plushy stool in between Dawn and Barry who are both, kind of ridiculously, way shorter than him.

She goes to a PokéStylist and Co-ordinating school, which is why she's rooming with May, a junior with a future in competitive co-ordinating, and enemies with Ursula, mainly co-ordinating some styling, and who just so happens to be the subject of Paul's roommates current affections. She's going to be a PokéStylist, she says with a smile and a certainty that waivers a little bit in the back of her throat, but she still competes in tournaments occasionally, even if it is just for the money bonus.

"What about you?" She gestures towards Paul with a tilt of the head, "What are you doing right now?"

(Paul thinks about when they were rude)

"I'm actually sharing a dorm with idiot over there actually."

Barry makes a spluttering noise and Dawn laughs again, her jugular jumping up and down like a heartbeat.

"Who are you calling an idiot?" He yips indignantly. "You," Paul answers, "I'm calling you an idiot."

And that's when she smiles.

The flaky skin peeling back thin as Barry punches Paul's arm, teeth shining and bursting out this breath-taking heart-wrenching gut-punching knees-shaking soul-killing exploding brilliant smile. It's stupid, that wasn't even funny in the slightest but she does it anyway when she cried and that's when Paul remembers the smile that Barry smiled and why it made him remember something, remember this something right here.

(it's the first time they've seen each other in five years)

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A/N

Umm.. Not really anything to say...

Smile!

-HeyHeyDoIKnowYou

("You is smart. You is kind. You is important.")


End file.
